Automatic rifle.



PATENTED FEB. 27. A1906.

T. A. FIDJBLAN'D. AUTOMATIC RIFLE.

APPLIOATION FILED 113.24. 19044 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W M V /w`w y No. 813,694. PATENTED FEB. 2'7, 1906.

T. A. FIDJELAND. AUTOMATIC RIFLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.24, 1904.

z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Tnvmlmf: T AE1.- Fi 51111113.

Witnesses:

Attorneys.

NITED STATES PATENT onirica;

TERJE AAN'ENSEN EIDJELAND, or-ro'sTvEDT, ivaLANn-. Nenn/'ArfvT01/ill..wif/0111, it may z/warm. l I Be 1t known that I, TRJEAANENsnu'Fm- JELAND, gunmaker, ay sulfur-ptv of the King of 'Norway vandSweden, residing at F ostvedt,

Iveland, Province of Christiansand, S..Nor- Way, have" inventedy'certain newy and useful VImprovements in Automatic Rifles, lof whichthe following isa specification.

vThis -invention relates'to a rifle in which the reloading iseffecteilautomatically by means ofthefpressu're of the powder-gases,

.trie rifle being principally characterized by ay very simpleconstruction having -a minimum of separate parts and by a reliablemanner of operation of he automatic' reloading mechanism.. Asth numberof parts in the latter is reilii'xeriv to two, 'o'nly one of which is' imovable'a-l have produced an automatic rifle which v'este sizeisnot'larger than an ordi- -nary -inag'aciierifle and as toA weight isevenv 'l more advantageous than riliesof .this kind as now usually'-enployed.

TheJ invention is unarmed the accampanying drawings, in whichl Figure 1is a central longitudinal section vthrough Atlhe` 1`raine of a rifleconstructed ac-v cordinglomy invention.; Fig. 2 cientral longitudinal"section through a part of the gun-barrel and gasipe. .Fig.v`4 Bfis asection on thaline III HI o -Fig.}1*, the breecheblock beingrenloved...Fig. 4 is a se'ction on the line 1V ofFignl.- Fi r.5 vis a side view ofthe breech-block.,"and piston-rod inthe position Vyoccupied when thebreech-block has been turned u ward'andV isready" to begin'. its

' backw'ar` finovement. -Fig. 6 is a plan of the rear en Ivof thepiston-rod. Fig. -7 is anend tion t irough the frame, andA Fig. 110 isla horig-zontal section through. the axis bf the I istonpassagifFigs.1.1`1 and 121are .views of etails. In fthe inagaZme-rifl'es'vas'arealmost univerv sally accepted for army use thebreech-'block when loadinghas to egrecute twodifferent kinds of, motions-first, a turning motionby which the block is carriedfrom its locked positionto its positionof-fee righutflined motion,

orv vzice'veiasa, and then alight-lined` motionby wliichtlielbreech-block effects the throwing out of the cartridges. and the`feeding of new 'cartridges into Athe chziignber.,` In' the "usual,Amagazinerrifies these motionsl are eected by hand andin automaticgunseitherbyjmeans of the recoil or'by means ofthe' pressureI of thepowdeD-gases. -The lprese. nt,construct1on specication of LettenPatent.' y App-naaien am sammy 24,1904. "serial '1%. 195,108.

v l AUTOMATIC RIFLE.

is based onthe latter"'principlel AFor this;

purpose the gun-barrel is 'at a distancefof about a third of the lengthof the barrel from' the rearendv of the cartridgecliainber provided witha liolell Fig.- 2, passing through a hoop 2, surrounding the barrel `atthis'placeg and into the interior ofthe A4gas-pipe 3,.. screwed into thehoop. This pipe hasat its forward end a part 4 ofa length of about twoinches connected at its rear efnd with anotler part 5 of a diameter alittle larger than the" part-'4.v The part 5 extends backwardfor akieatente-i Feuer, 1966.1

length of about six inches and is at `its`rear part 8 ofthe rod isprovided at-*its rearI end.

with ac'am 49, 'extending upwardand' with a` lug 10 on one side. lThecani. 9 engages ,with a helical groove-114 in the breech-block and inorder tovfit theslope of the `'grooveatits i upper end and on'bothsidesisA formedA as shown in Fig. 6. The part Sislocated and can move in-apassage' 12 directl)v beneath the yframe and is acted upon by a spiralspring 13, located in lthe saidv passage. .The lfront end of the springbears against the rear end face 14, and the rear end of the spring bearsagainst a nose '15. on a piece 16, which"` forms" the bottom of theframe-casing. .ljIn orderto allow'the `motion of thepiston-rod the'pas-v sage 12 is atvits upper .part open to the frame',-1 casingtli'rcugh a' longitudinal slot" `17, `in

which'the cam 9 canmove., 'l :Thepassage-LZ is also on one sideprovid'edrwith a slot 18, in which the lug 10 can travel during tlemotion of the piston-rod` (See Figs, 1, 3, 4, and 10;)

The breech-block, Figs. 1 and. 5, is', prof vided with two stops 19, and20, which in the locked position project into corre'sp'onding're- Icesses 4or grooves 21 and "22, 'Figs. 8 landv 9, inf the Iside'ofthejframe, so that the backward Vmotion of the breech-block. is.kpreazented.

When the turning of the breechf-block is coni-l pleted, lboth. .stops 19.and QOpro'je'ct v'e'rtiL 'cally upward,'Fig.` 5, sothat when vmovi-ingbackward they can enter upper 4passage 23 in the rear half of the"`block thefront face vofthe .1'9 will bear i i against an inclined face24 in the front side of the frame,'Figs. 1 and 8, the rear face of thestop bearing at the same time against a fixed inclined face 25 so thatthe breechblock during the turning will not only be held quite steady,but will also` slightly move in a longitudinal direction for a purposewhich will be hereinafter described.

The helical groove l11 in the breech-block forms about a fourth of acomplete convolution, so that the breech-block by the motion of thepiston-rod will be turned about afourth of a revolution.

On the same side of the riiie as the stud 1()v on the piston-rod (on theright side of the gun) there is fixed a guide 26, Figs. 3 and 10,

= provided with a longitudinally-movable slide 27, approximately of Tshape in cross-sed tion. The broad part or top 28 of the T engages in acorresponding groove in the side of the frame symmetrical to the groove18, and

the web or stem 29 of the T is guided by theand between which there is apawl which is movable perpendicularly to the guide. The outer part 34 ofthis pawl is cylindrical and enters the cavity of the ball 32. The part34 is acted upon by a spiral spring 36, arranged withinthe ball. Theinner part 35 of the said pawl is flat and terminates in two noses,

the rear nose 37 being short and rounded and the front nose 38 beingsharp and projecting farther-in. The wall 31 extends so far forward thatits front edge is immediately behind the nose 38 and is on the outsideprovided with a short inclined plane 39, behind which there is a notch40, Fig. 11, in which the nose 37 normally engages in order to hold theslide in this position by means of the spring 36. When the slide movesslightly forward, the pawl at 37 will be released from the wall 31 andunder the action of the spring 36 will project into the slot 18 untilthe pawl is stopped by the cylindrical part 34 being stopped against aninner face in the ball 32. The outer end of the spring 36 bears againsta hollow screw in the ball.

vThe passage 12 is' open at the to at its rear end, Fig. 4, but is therecovere by the arm 42 of .the bottom piece 16, which arm eX- tendsbackward and the lower side face of which is, circular, so that thewhole bottom piece can be: screwed in from the end and in its positionof rest will form'the bottom of the frame-casing as well as the bottomof the passage 12. The turning of the bottom piece isfprevented by thelocking-pins 43 for the ofgmagazme and 44 for the firing-pin, so thatthe turning can only be effected when these pins are taken out.

The operation of the automatic mechanism is as follows: After themagazine has been filled with cartridges one of the latter must beintroduced into the barrel-chamber 47. This is eected by means of theslide mechanism arranged on the side. The ball 32 is grasped and theslide 27 carried quite forward and then quite back. By the forwardmotion the rounded tooth 37 of the pawl 35 will be moved out of thenotch in passing the nose, which is formed at the upper part of theplane 39, and at last sliding down the plane, permitting the nose 38 toenter the slot 18. Here the nose 38 will meet the rear inclined side ofthe stud 10 on the piston-rod and slide up the same, and finally thenose 3S in the end position of the forward motion will under the actionof the spring 36 come in front of. the stud 10, as shown in Fig. 12.Vhen now the ball 32, with the slide 27 ,'is carried back, the wholepiston-rod 7 8 will be taken along with it. During this the cam 9 willby means of the helical groove 11 force the breech-block to turn about afourth of a revolution, the hammer being thereby cocked in the usualmanner, and the cam 9, which has then reached the back end of the groove1 1, will bear with its rear face against the end face 45 of the helicalgroove, Figs. 1 and 5. At this moment the stops 19 and 2O occupy theposition which is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8. The stop 19 has thentraveled in close contact with the plane 24,'a'nd the stop 20 has justbeen released from the bearingface 25. The breech block can thereforenow perform its right-lined motion. This is also effected by the cam 9during the last part of the motion of the piston-rod. Durin the wholebackward motion the spring 13 wlll be compressed, and when thepiston-rod is near its endposition the cartridge-feeder forces in usualmanner cartridge u from the magazine before the breech-bloc i and therounded rear nose 37 of the pawl 35 will travel up the plane 39 in order-to release the stud 10 from the nose 38. The piston-rod thereby becomesfree, and the spring 13, which is now cornletely compressed, will forcethe piston-rod fbrward to its front position. The front face of the cam9 will consequently first meet with the fiat face 46, Figs. land 5, atthe rear part of the groove. Then the breech-block is carried forwarduntil the stop 19 meets the inclined plane 24. Here the turning back ofthe breech-block will begin and this be still performed by means of thepiston-rod. The cam 9 must therefore be carried away from the face 46and down into the helical groove 11, which is effected by the plane 24.When the stop 19 meets the plane 24, the breechblock will be turned alittle in the desired direction, so that the cam 9 is carried into thegroove 1.1. Duringthe last part of the n10- IOD tion of the iston-rodthe cam 9 therefore, under the action of the spring 13, will turn thebreech-block down to the locking position,

- Figs. 1 and 8, in which the stops 19 and 20 have moved down into theirgrooves 21 and 22. During the forward motion of the breechblock thecartridge is carried into the cartridge-chamber 47, and the rifle istherefore loaded with its hammer cocked and its breechblock locked. Theslide 27 also is in its end position, Fig. 10, with its nose 37 forcedinto the notch 40. When the rifle is fired by means of the usualtrigger, the powder-gas' will as soon as the ball has passed the hole 1be forced ldown through this hole and into the cavity 4 and causepressure against the fr ont face of the piston-rod 7. The 4wholepiston-rod 7 8 is therefore thrown back and will thereby turn thebreech-block up to the position, Fig. 5, the cartridge being meanwhile,on account of the slight longitudinal motion of the breech-block whichtakes place at the same timeas the turning, pulled a little distance outof the chamber 47 by means of the extractor, so that the cartridge isloosened. The' piston-rod will then carry the breechblock back to itsend position, whereby the empty cartridge is thrown out in the knownmanner and a new loaded cartridge from the magazine-feeder is carried upinto position before the breech-block. In this end position thefrontface of the part -7 of the pistonrod is behind the holes 6 in thepipe 5, so that the powder-gases can now escape about the same time aslthe ball leaves the barrel. Consequently the compressed spring 13 willcome into action and in the manner shown force the iston-rod forward toits front position, so t at the breech-block is carried forward togetherwith the new cartridge and turned to its locked position with the hammercocked. When now the fresh cartridge is fired in the usual manner, theysame action will take place., the powder-gas forcing the piston baciand the spring forcing it forward, so that a fresh cartridge is againcarried into firing position in the chamber 47 If the magazine convtains, for example, six cartridges, it will be `advisable after havingcarried one of these cartridges into the chamber by pulling the ball 32forward and back again to refill the magazine, so that this contains itssixcartridges when one cartridge is in the chamber' I simple.

lated in the following mannerf'The magazine is filled and the ball 32carried forward and backwardagain in order to carry a cartridge intothechamber 47 Then the magazine is locked and shot fired. Thelocking-pin 43 for the magazine is turned -back again to its openingposition, and the ball 32 is carried forward and back again. Then themagazine is again locked andthe shot fired, and so on. It will be seenthat# the whole automatical action is effected by the piston-rod 7 8 9,groove 11,'spring 13, .andinclined plane 24, and besides thebreech-block only the pistonrod is movable, the spring 13 being onlyconipressed aiid then again expanded. As will be seen,tlie constructioncan scarcely'be more Experiments have proved that the mechanism actsvery exact y and that the reloading islperformed as quickly as a man isableA to pu the'trigger. If the rifle be fired as rapidly as possible,three cartridges will be in the air at, the same time, as the 'firstwill no't have reached the ground before the third has* been thrown out.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic rifle', the combination with the barrel and thebreech-block, a pipe 'in'communi'cation with the barrel, a springpressedpiston-rod therein upon whic the powder-gases act, a 'cam on said rod, asubstantially helical groove on the outer side of the breech-block whichgroove said cam enages, locking-stops on the breech-block, a ongitudinal.guiding-passage in the frame, into which passage said stops travelduring the reciprocating movement of the breechblock thereby preventingthe block to be turned durin such movement, an end fac-e A45 of thehelical groove against which face the cam bears durin the rearwardmovement ofthe breech-b ock, a flat face 46 in the rearpart of thehelical groove against which face 46 the front end of the cam bearsduring the forward movement of the breech- IOO IOSl

block without causingany turning action on the'same7 and an inc nedplane 24 provided on the frame of the rifle and located in the? path ofthe foremost locking-stop and acting on the saine at the last part ofthe forwar movement of the breech-block, which is thereby turnedsufficiently to remove the flat face 46 from the cam and enable thelatter to reenter the helical groove in. order to lockthe breech-block.I

2. In an automatic firearm, the breechblock having a substantiallyhelical groove therein andlocking-stops thereon, the pipe incommunication with the barrel, a piston-4 rod in the pipe having a camthereon, a plassage 12 in the rear of the rifle-casing forming anextension ofthe pipe, said passage open ing into the casing containingthebreechbloclr, a spring in said passage acting upon thefpiston-rod,the said cam engaging with .theslotin the breech-block when the pistonjrod operates, an end face 45 of the helical groove against which facethe cam bears during the rearward movement of the breechblock, aliatface 46 in the rear part of the helical groove against which face 46 thel'ront end of the cam bears during the forward movement ofthebreech-block, without causing any turning action on the same, and aninclined plane 24 provided on the frame of the riiie and located in thepath of the 'foremost loclring-stop and acting on the same at the lastpart of the forward movement of the breechblock, which is thereby turnedsuiiiciently to remove the fiat face 46 from the cam and enable thelatter to reenter the helical groove in j, order to lock thebreech-block.

f'", 3. In an automatic firearm, the breech- 'bloclr having asubstantially helical groove Vvtherein arid locking-stops thereon, thepipe in communication with 'the barrel, a piston-rod in the pipe havinga cam thereon, a passage 12 infthe rear of the rifle-casing forming anextension of the pipe, said assage opening into the casing containing t1e breech-block, a spring in said passage acting upon the piston-rod,the said cam engaging with the slot in the breech-block when thepiston-rod operates, a longitudinal guiding-passage in the frame, intowhich passage said stops travel during the reciprocating movement of thebreech-block thereby preventing the block t be turned during suchmovement, an end face 45 of the helical groove against which face thecam bears during the rearward movement of the breech-block, a at face 46in the rear part of the helical groove against which face 46 the frontend of the cam bears during the forward movement of the breech-block,without causing any turning action on the same, and an inclined plane 24provided on the frame of the rifle and located in the path of theforemost locking-stop and acting on the same at the last part of theforward movement of the breech-block, which is thereby turnedsufficiently to remove the flat face 46 from the cam and enable thelatter to reenter the helical groove in vorder to lock thebreech-block.' y

4. In an automatic firearm the breechblock having a groove therein andworking in a passage fori/ning an extension ofthe barrel, a pipe incommunication with the barrel, a piston-rod in the pipe having a camthereon projecting'into said groove7 a passage 12 1n the rear of therifle-,casing forming an eXtension of the pipe, and a rear piece 16screwed l into the rear of the rifle-frame in order to close the end ofsaid breech-block passage and having a nose 15 forming an extension ofsaid rear piece and closing the rear end of said piston-rod passage 12.5. In an automatic firearm the breechbloc-l; having a substantiallyhelical groove i therein and locking-stops thereon and work- 1 ing 1n apassage forming an extension of the barrel, the pipe in communicationwith the l barrel, a piston-rod in the pipe having' a cam l thereon, apassage 12 in the rear ofthe riliecasing forming an extension of thepipe, said passage-12 openingl into the passage containing thebreech-block, a rear piecel screwed into the rear of the rifle-frame inorder to close the end of said breech-block passage and having a nose 15forming an extension of said rear piece and closing the rear end of saidpassage 12, two removable pins, securing said rear piece 16 in position,a spring in the passage 12 acting upon the piston-rod, the said camengaging with the slot in the breech-block when the piston-rod operates,an end face 45 of the helical groove against which face the cam bearsduring the rearward movement of the breech-block, a Hat face 46 in therear part of the helical groove against whichface 46 the front end ofthe cam bears during the forward movement of the breechblock withoutcausing an turning action on the same, and an incline plane 24 providedon the frame of the rifle and located in the path of thelforemostlocking-stop and acting on the same at the last part of the forwardmovement of the breech -block1 which is thereby turned sufficiently toremove the fiat face 46 from the cam and enable the latter to reenterthe helical groove in order to lock the breech-block.

6. In an automatic firearm, the barrel, the breech-bloclrhaving thegroove therein, the pipe in communication with the barrel, thespring-pressed piston-rod in the pipe having -the cam thereon engagingwith the groove,

said rod also having the stud on one side thereof, a casing Jforming acontinuation ofthe pipe, a slide moving longitudinally in said casing, anose on said slide, said nose engaging with the stud on the piston-rodso that the rod will move with the slide and means for releasing saidnose from the stud.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

TERJE -AANENSEN FDJELAND.

`Witnesses A. MAAvETsoN. HANS AANENsEN.

